Swallownest May 2012
We stuck with our original lineup for Dylan’s team and it worked well, we were running more consistent times but not nearly as fast as I would like. Chip and Dylan were running just over 10s as a pair pretty much all day, which I was pleased about as a consolation. They’re running over 14″, and taking into account starts and changeovers, must both be running under 5s. We desperately need a height dog as it would drop us from 21-22s times to 19s easily. Dylan’s boxturn was sharp but not perfect, 3 paw hits most of the day, but it was slippy underfoot and he actually fell over completely at one point (nobody but Dyl could capsize on a boxturn) so I know he was just being overcautious. Where is the real summer weather?!
Mollie was slated to run with the top team (our only team to actually have a height dog at the moment) but circumstances meant it was easier for us to run a 4 dog team instead. I was ball collecting and helping Lucy work on her changes (running anchor), and we got it to perfection by the afternoon’s racing. A much better seed time now of 18.83 and the team still have plenty to find in there. I can’t see them breaking 18s with the current lineup, but 18.20 should definitely be possible.
Rio was really well behaved, apart from using people as launch pads or targets. She has a lot of love to share, and apparently that means she needs to sit on your head. Unfortunately she’s figured out that if she launches herself and clings like a limpet to my chest when I’m stood upright, I have to either drop her or pick her up properly. I always pick her up, apparently I’m a soft touch. At which point she usually lays over my shoulder and kisses people, I don’t even know what I have created some days.
She did some great recalls, and we took our dead-toy training on the road. She was foot perfect, including running to the dead tug and then fetching it to me to continue tugging. Progress!
As Mollie didn’t get to do flyball, we took Rio, Mollie, Chip and Fly into one of the crop fields for a run. Wish I’d had my video camera, hilarity ensued and it turns out Chip is quite the sneaky lurcher. Fly didn’t approve, she is a serious and thoughtful kind of girl who does not see the point to silly behaviour.